Re-Visit to the 2011 KIA Soul 25,000km’

I just rolled over 25,000 km’s on my 2011 KIA Soul. Just to recap, it’s the Canadian model. It is a 2.0 litre, 5 speed manual. It’s known as the 2U here.
The only changes that I made to it so far was to apply the 3M Paint Protection Film and stock 18″ rims from the 4U model.
So far, I’ve been averaging 450-475km’s per tank which uses about 40-42 liters. Cost of an average litre is about $1.30 lately. (prices are CDN)
At 25,000km’s, there have been no mechanical issues, in fact, it feels quite comfortable. I’ve noticed some squeaking in the brakes but that’s to be expected between 20-30,000 km’s. I’ll be getting the pads / rotors looked at soon.
There are no overtly large complaints about the vehicle at this stage. Though I still find it loud when trying to use the bluetooth on the highway. I’m not sure if it’s the aerodynamics that is causing windnoise, or the sound of the tires just rolling down the highway but it can be loud. Not Jeep on 33’s kind’ve loud or a buzzing exhaust loud, more like a lack of insulation between the wheel wells and the interior.
The gearbox is a bit choppy too. It could use a 6th gear for sure. It doesn’t rev high but you always find yourself wishing for one more gear when on the highway.
The seats are a bit flat but I find that they are okay comfortable. There seems to be a bit of compression on the drivers side seat, I’m glad that I got them Scotchgard’ed as that’s saving me from the stains and such.

The Pro’s are the same. The KIA Soul is a great height and easy to get in and out of. The angles for sight are good when looking ahead. Looking back.. not so much. I put one of those wideangle mirrors on the passenger side and that helps a lot. The rear, passenger view is the worst for blindspots. There is this terrible angle that is difficult to see over. The headrests on the rear seats don’t help much either.

The paint is holding up well, it seems to take the abuse well of road hazards and stone chips. I put the 3M Paint Sealant on it and I think that helps. It seems to have hardened it up a bit.

The stand out points remain the same to me. I really like when I open the hood that I can see everything, not that I open it often but if I wanted to change the plugs, I can. If I need to adjust anything, it’s right there. But the only time I open the hood is to fill up the windshield washer fluid.

Would I buy it again?.. The price is right, at 0% interest and $129/ every two weeks, it’s a good price. The cost of ownership is low. BUT, I see the Hyundai Elantra (touring wagon edition) at the same price and that car really stands out.
I like it, but I’d probably look at some other options. A used Lexus perhaps, or a Toyota Prius V.